


Ever Fixed Mark

by Corycides



Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Gen, Post-Hiatus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-09
Updated: 2013-03-09
Packaged: 2017-12-04 19:36:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/714313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corycides/pseuds/Corycides
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes a storm can clear the air - but for the Matheson family, it might take more than one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ever Fixed Mark

Thunder cracked the sky open and water spilled out.

Rachel stood in the doorway of the old 7-Eleven and watched the storm rage with aching eyes. The air was sticky-warm, but the flick of cold water that splashed under the over-hang cooled her skin. She held her arm out, letting the rain drench the raw stripe of blistered skin from knuckle to forearm. Pain prickled up her arm, nerves jabbing up into her armpit. 

It was familiar. Almost comforting in a way. Strausser hadn't liked fire – too much scarring – but a fine blade felt much the same as it lifted the skin.

The creak of footsteps behind her made her tense, muscles cramping from the nape of her neck to her tailbone. She took a deep breath, tasting the damp air on her lips, and waited. Miles leant on the other side of the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. The smell of death and smoke hung around him like an aura, a promise of things to come.

'She's a good kid,' he said. 'Ben did a good job.'

Like _his_ opinion on _her_ daughter mattered, Rachel thought acidly. Except – the memory of Charlie's wide, hero-worshipping eyes flicked across her mind – she supposed it did.

'Unlike me, you mean?' she said.

Miles scratched the scruff of stubble on his jaw, not looking at her. 'Didn't say that. Didn't need to.'

It itched between them – secrets. Rachel glanced over her shoulder, blinking at the dimness.

'They're asleep,' Miles said, not bothering to look. 'Danny's pretty beat up.'

'Your friend's idea of a welcoming party,' Rachel said. She paused, but somehow she couldn't just spit the words out. So she shied away instead. 'They used to be scared of storms. Or Danny was, and Charlie was scared when he was upset. They would come running to me and just hold on, so tight. I guess they aren't scared anymore.'

'Charlie's not scared of much of anything,' Miles said. His voice dipped with amused irritation. 'Not even when she should be.'

Rachel stepped out into the storm, ignoring Miles attempt to grab her, and let the rain soak her. She tilted her face up, squinting her eyes. Droplets caught on her lashes, light sparkling.

'Monroe never let me out in the rain,' she said. Turning around she fixed Miles with cold, bright eyes. 'He never let me out much at all.'

He licked his lips. 'I'm sorry, Rachel.'

'I don't care,' she said. 'I'm going to have to go away again, Miles. I'm going to have to leave them behind and go get power so we can stop Monroe.'

'They'd be safer with you,' Miles said, although she could hear how much that cost him. Good. She wanted him to hurt too. 'Monroe won't let me walk away this time.'

'As I recall, you ran,' Rachel said. 'And trust me, Miles, I know Monroe. I know what he's capable of, maybe even better than you. The people who might come looking for me, they're worse.'

Not morally. Maybe morally. Rachel supposed she wasn't in the best place to judge – glass houses and all that. Compared to what they could do though, Monroe's best efforts would look a child's temper tantrum. She hadn't held her tongue for four years because of morals.

Miles was frowning at her. 'What did you and Ben get involved in Rachel?'

'See,' she breathed, 'if you'd asked like that ten years ago, maybe I could have told you. Instead-'

This time it was Miles who flinched – for him – and glanced back to check the others weren't listening. Poor Miles, Rachel thought wryly, under a teenage (no, not anymore) girl's thumb.

'I won't tell them,' she said. 'What you did, what you didn't do. It stays between us, but you take care of my children, Miles. You promise me that?'

'They'll blame you. They won't understand.'

'I know,' Rachel said, her lips grimaced into a smile. 'I can live with that. Could you.'

He closed his eyes for a second. 'No, but I would still keep them safe, Rachel. Even if Charlie hated me.'

Rachel thought he might actually mean that. 'I don't think she'd let you,' she said, stepping back into the building. Out of the deluge, she suddenly felt the chill of water dripping. 'Just take care of them, Miles, and I'll get you the power you need to fight.'

She stepped past him, dripping on the floor, and suddenly he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. An odd splice of fear and old familiarity jabbed through her, trapping her breath in her throat. His hand touched her back, walking his fingers over the web of scar tissue wet fabric clung to. 

'I'm sorry,' he said, voice cracking.

She pulled away from him. 'I still don't care.'


End file.
